| How to make outdoor spaces more sustainable is an increasingly relevant question for facility managers. Outdoor spaces must not only be functional, safe, and easy to maintain, but also contribute to sustainability goals, circularity, and a pleasant living and working environment. In this lecture, Rogier Biekens of VERHEES PRODUCTS will discuss how to make conscious choices in this regard without compromising quality, appearance, or ease of use.
From benches and picnic sets to edging, decking, and custom solutions, outdoor design offers ample opportunities to put sustainability into practice. The focus isn't so much on using recycled materials, but rather on the complete product lifecycle. From a circular perspective, the speaker looks beyond mere supply. He also addresses the development and production of outdoor solutions using high-quality recycled raw materials, ensuring that plastic end products are recyclable after use. This keeps materials in the supply chain and minimizes waste. During the lecture, Rogier Biekens will discuss the considerations that facility managers face in practice, such as lifespan, maintenance, total cost of ownership, aesthetics, vandalism resistance, and how outdoor design can contribute to broader sustainability ambitions within an organization. He also addresses how to think circularly from the design and material selection stage, and how collaboration with a committed partner helps move from policy to concrete implementation. This session offers practical insights, inspiring examples, and a clear vision of how outdoor spaces can be designed not only smarter but also more sustainably. It's designed for facility managers who want to look ahead and treat outdoor spaces as a valuable component of their sustainable real estate and management strategy. |
